Inkstand.



No. 638,770. Patented Dec. l2, I899.

H. l. SNYDER.

INKSTAND.

(Application filed Feb. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.)

HARRY I. SNYDER, OF DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS.

INKSTAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,770, dated December 12, 1899.

Application filed February 8, 1899. Serial No. 704,977. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY I. SNYDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Downers Grove, county of Du Page, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inkstands, of which the following is a specification. V

The present invention relates to that class of inkstands in which the ink is contained within a well of considerable capacity and from which a small quantity at a time is caused to rise up through a small tube and partially iill a small pen-cup.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved inkstand of this class; and to this end the invention consists in the features of novelty that are hereinafter fully described.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, I will describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and in which- Figure l is a sectional elevation of an inkstand embodying the invention in its preferred form. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of a portion thereof on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a fragment of the bottom of the well. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a fragment of an inkstand embodying the invention under slight modification.

A represents a receptacle of suitable capacity, which is herein called the well. The opening at the top of this receptacle re ceives, with suificient friction for holding it in place, an annular flange B, which projects downward from the under side of a ring C, said ring having a portion 0, which projects beyond the flange B and bears upon-the outer face of the well. The ring 0 has formed through it vertically an opening, which is preferably cylindrical, and at its bottom it has a flange O, which projects inward for the purpose of providing a shoulder, upon which is supported a coiled spring D, which in turn supports, through the medium of an annular shoulder E, avertically-movable tubular part F. Above the shoulder E the part F fits the vertical opening of the ring 0 sufficiently close to avoid any considerable interspace and yet with sufficient looseness to permit the part F to move freely up and down. Below the shoulder E the part F fits the opening left by the inwardly-projecting flange C in like manner. The lower end F of the part F serves the purpose of a piston or plunger and is of such size and shape that it is adapted to be freely inserted in or removed from a chamber G, which, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, consists of a depression in the bottom A of the well A. The dimensions of the plunger F and chamber G are such that when the plunger is inserted in the chamber no considerable space is left between them for the escape of ink past the plunger, and yet the fit is sufficiently loose to permit the plunger to be easily withdrawn from the chamber either by the buoyancy of the part F, considered as a whole, or by the spring D, or both. The plunger has in its end an opening f, communicating with avertical tube F of somewhat larger capacity than the opening, said tube being extended upward to a point above the top of the well, where it is flared outward to form the pen cup F Preferably the part F is of cylindrical form from top to bottom and is of considerably larger diameter than the tube F, thus leaving between the parts F and F a closed annular chamber f, which will give the part F more or less buoyancy. I prefer not to depend upon its buoyancy alone for elevating it, and therefore I provide the coiled spring D, which is made of light wire and which will with certainty elevate the part F and at the same time permit it to be depressed by a very slight pressure of the pen upon the pen-cup. Preferably, also, the parts F, F, F, and F are made of a single piece of hard rubber.

In order to limit the upward movement of the part F under the influence of the spring D, I provide the part F with one or more laterally-projecting lugs F and in order to permit the part F, with its lugs F to be inserted in and removed from the ring 0, the flange G is provided with notches c, which are adapted to be brought to register with the lugs F by rotating the part F.

When the part F is in its highest position, the bottom of the plunger F is preferably just about at the top of the chamber G, so that the ink may flow freely from the well into the chamber and keep the latter always filled. When the plunger F is forced downward and into the chamber G, the ink will be expelled from the chamber, and since there is not sufficient space between the walls of the chamber and the plunger for it to return into the well its only avenue of escape is through the opening f and thence upward through the tube F. Upon the removal of the pressure which depressed the plunger the spring D will restore it to its normal elevated position. In this way I am enabled to cause the ink to flow upward through the tube F and fill or partially fill the pen-cup without the necessity of making the well air-tight, and the advantages in dispensing with airtight joints are apparent. In order to enable practically all of the contents of the well to be thus delivered to the pen-cup, the bottom of the well slopes toward the chamber G, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. In order to guide the plunger in its downward movement, if need be, and compel it to enter the chamber G with certainty, I provide at the sides of the chamber a number of sloping guides a, which are integral with the bottom of the well and are so shaped that should the plunger come in contact with them or any of them it will be guided into the chamber G.

The preferred form of the invention is shown in Fig. 1; but I desire to have it understood that in its broadest aspect the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of plunger and chamber there shown. I have therefore shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings a modification in which the chamber, here lettered G, is carried by the part F, while the plunger, here lettered A", is carried by the well A. In fact, the plunger is simply a portion of the bottom of the well which is surrounded by an annular groove A adapted to receive the annular side walls of the chamber G, the latter being simply downward extensions or prolongations of the cylindrical lower portion of the part F.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 is within thescope of the invention, broadly stated; but I prefer the form shown in Fig. 1.

IV hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In an inkstand, the combination of the well A, the ring 0 having a vertical opening and having an inwardly-projecting shoulder C provided with notches c, the vertically-movable part F passing through the ring and hav-- ing the shoulderE and projections F adapted to register with the notches c, a springinterposed between the shoulders O and E, a chamber into which the ink is adapted to flow from the well by gravity, a plunger carried by the vertically-movable part aforesaid and adapted to enter the chamber, the tube F carried by the vertically-movable part and communicating at its lower end with the chamber and the pen-cup Fisurmounting the tube, substantially as set forth.

HARRY I. SNYDER.

lVitnesses:

L. M. HOPKINS,

B. O. SIMS. 

